I along wtih many Dodger fans, took a vacation day to be at Dodger Stadium, our magic castle! Some probably took a “sick” day but there is NO WAY they would believe that I was at home sick.

My day did not start well because right after I started walking on the parking lot, I noticed I had no wallet and no tickets. Hoping that I just left it in the car, I went back but noooo!, I drove 14 miles back to retrieve it from home.

Since I was at the stadium as soon as the gates opened, I was able to go back and come in plenty of time to meet with friend Carol from the ITD blog and Will who came all the way from New York for the games:

George Lopez threw out the first pitch. George was sporting a Dodger jersey with number 34 and the words “LOPEZUELA” in the back. Watch the video where Tommy coaches George Lopez to throw a strike on the mound (could not embed the code

Wainwright only gave up three hits and one run in 8th innings of work.

Clayton Kershaw was great giving up only two runs in 6 2/3 innings.

There was Loney nailing a runner at third by cutting off a relay toss after a run-scoring double.

There was Closer Jonathan Broxton shutting down the hard of the lineup in the 8th.

And then the 9th inning with two outs, nobody on, unfolded:

“I lost it in the lights….I could not see the ball.” Holliday said.

Vin Scully’s remark: “It hit him right in the groin. Hopefully he’s wearing a cup. You talk about a painful error.”

One poster at sonsofstevegarvey said ” I was watching the replay of the Shot Felt Around the Nuts”

Loney said he was in shock but he made it to second base. He was replaced with Juan Pierre.

Up came Casey Blake. At one pitch that was called a strike, Casey gestured with his hands that he did not agree and he said “Bull-fertilizer”

Well, that is not the word he used but that is what Vin Scully uses when he reads lips.

My friend Steve started chanting “Umpire Sucks!”

Speaking of Franklyn and Casey, Vin Scully called it “the battle of the beards.”

Then as Blake continued to foul off pitches, Vin said, “One more twist on the tension machine.”

Blake walked on nine pitches.

Next Belliard single up the middle on the first pitch to drive Pierre and tie the score 2-2.

Blake advanced to third and Belliard to second on a passed ball.

Wtih first base open, Franklin pitched around Martin who was batting 8th, to load the bases. Up came Mark Loretta. “

Mark Loretta was hitless in 15 career at-bats against Franklin.

Then came the hit.

Loretta did his best imitation of Kirk Gibson running the bases, Blake scored and clumsly slipped trying to get to Mark Loretta but Matt Kemp got there first as the bison said afterwards “No one was going to beat there.

Loretta who is a local boy from Arcadia, CA said in one post game interview “What did Vin Scully say about me?” Ahh our hometown hero!!!

Fan Appreciation Day came and went so now is preparation to the Postseason but first I’d like to write about two traditions that were carried over on Sunday during Fan Appreciation Day.

The first tradition: Robyn and Chuck have been season ticket holders in the Top Deck for a few years now. They started a tradition of bringing a cake or two in appreciation of all the Dodger employees in the Top Deck, the elevator and any other employee that we come into contact during the season. chuck and Robyn start cutting the cake during the 3rd innings and thanking each employee that shows up. slices of cakes are also shared with other fellow season ticket holders and if there is any leftover, with other fans in the area.

Take a look at the cakes below. The first one reads “Thank you Dodger Stadium Employees.” the second one reads “Western Division Champs.”

The second tradition is one that Yankee fans are familiar with.

Joe Torre has a tradition of letting a player manage the last game of the year if it has no bearing on the standings.

Nomar Garciaparra managed the team last year in the Dodgers season finale.

Brad Ausmus said “Joe came up to me when we were celebrating on the field last night and said, ‘You want to manage tomorrow night?’ I said, ‘I’ll be here,’ and he said, “All right, you’re managing.”

On Sunday , one Dodger poster jokingly posted in the Game Thread “What a lousy lineup! Fire the manager!”.

Ausmus was assisted by “bench coach” Mark Loretta , “hitting coach” Jim Thome and “bullpen coach” Jeff Weaver who was kept busy with all the pitchers coming out of the pen.

Ausmus went to the mound to make a pitching change in the eighth to replace Ronald Belisario with Scott Elbert, then put himself in as a pinch runner for Thome in the bottom half after his hitting coach singled.

“I’m turning the reins right back over to Joe — if he ever shows up again,” Ausmus joked. Ausmus is 1-0 as a manager!

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On to the Postseason!!

I am super excited about tomorrow’s game at our beloved Dodger Stadium or as Vin Scully called it when we started the season on a long winning streak at home, “The Magic Castle.”

We are ready to rock that place! Bring on the Cardinals!

I really think our two lefties Randy Wolf and Clayton Kershaw can take on the Cardinals. Aside from Pujols, Cardinals don’t do well against lefties.

The Dodgers are coming off a two game winning streak off the hot Rockies. The Cardinals are coming with a three game losing streak.

I think our lefties can hold the Cardinal hitters from scoring if we can hold prince Albert to singles or walks. Same with Holliday. Dodger hitters have done well against Waingwright. Our hitters just need to soak in the Magic Castle to wake up those bats.

I expect that our dynamic duo of Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier will continue to have success and if Manny and Loney start hitting, watch out!

If we can win one at home and one at St Louis (I know the Dodgers record in St Louis) and bring it back to the Magic Castle, I think we can do it!

The Dodgers clinched a postseason berth for the third time in four years with an 8-4 comeback win over the Pirates!

Randy Wolf was on the mound but he did not get the win. He was winning when he left the game so yet another no-decision by Randy. That was no-decision #16 for Randy but you know what? That is OK, the team won!

Did you all know that Randy Wolf has never been to the playoffs?? He was interviewed and he said he is happy that this time he will not be at home watching it. Ahhhh..

Randy left the following teams after they made the playoffs: Padres, Astros, Dodgers, Phillies.

Randy is hungry like a wolf! haha, now I want to sing that song.

Congratulations to Randy and the Dodgers!

Magic Number is …..

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Here is Tommy now standing next to his portrait at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington unveiled last week.

This morning I got an email that my playoff tickets have been shipped with a two day delivery! Woohoo! I put my aunt on alert to receive the package.

My friend LTD23 and I will be in San Diego for the final two road game! It is fitting that we close the series there since we went to the Opening series, the setup series and now the closer series in San Diego! I made the hotel reservation for one night, LTD23 got tickets for Wednesday but we still need tickets for Tuesday. Are you reading this LTD23? haha.

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